Pax Gaea Human Rights World Post

Of coups, struggling dependencies and national tragedies

Whether you support or suspect the Obama Administration, there is no doubt that America's relationship with the rest of the world is undergoing fundamental changes that veer drastically from the course set by previous ships of state. Our less bellicose view towards the deployment of nuclear weapons and its impact on our relationship with Russia along with our recent rethinking of rubber stamping the actions of our traditional allies Israel and the United Kingdom, has been at the forefront of international relations these last few weeks.

As the UK prepares for parliamentary elections, British and American conservative noses were thrust quite far out of joint by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's assertion that the United States is happy to play a role in moderating talks between England and Argentina concerning renewed disputes over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. This is a sharp divergence from America's usual unflinching support of the United Kingdom's claim to the Falklands, a claim they believe, was settled permanently with their victory in the Falklands War. Though Argentina has never acknowledged Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands, which they still refer to as Islas Malvinas, relations have generally been normalized between the two nations. Tensions renewed, however, when England opted to grant oil drilling rights off the coast of the Falklands. In an effort to improve relations with South America, the U.S. has been seeking opportunities to moderate traditionally absolute viewpoints. The United Nations is yet to weight in on the point particularly as the overwhelmingly British residents of the Falklands have opted to not pursue independence from Britain but, rather, embrace their dependence. Most recently the U.N. Human Rights Council positively cited the prohibition status of corporal punishment in state schools of the Falkland Islands (though it is still apparently permitted in private schools.)It has been a number of years since Amnesty International has weighed in on the Falklands. Similarly, Human Rights Watch most recent mention of the islands was in conjunction to an overall condemnation of the UK's refusal to ban the usage of cluster bombs. Freedom House has not broached the subject of the dependency status of the Falkland Islands for years, despite the recent adoption of a new constitution, the first every officially available via election form. I should know. I made numerous requests to the Falkland Islands' government over the previous four years and never received a response. I was happily astounded when they published the new constitution. On April 2, the Falkland Islands government commemorated the 28th Anniversary of the war. While, on one hand, reaching out to Argentina to maintain a friendly and peaceful coexistence it is clear that they stake their claim to British identity. Perhaps realizing the need to look inwardly at the status of human rights on the islands, the Commonwealth Foundation conducted human rights capacity building seminars with members of media, government, community organizations and faith based groups on the same day as the 28th commemoration. As the Falklands lack formal human rights institutions, it appears that they are realizing the essential need of such efforts, as highlighted in the annual report of the Falkland Islands Association. As they attempt to grow from a mere colonial economic enterprise to a vital sovereign member of the United Kingdom, the Falklands seem to be growing aware of the need to look beyond their isolated South Atlantic rocky shores and plug into the broader world as a means of retaining their native born best and brightest. Regardless, it is also obvious that they, above all, will struggle to maintain an identity that is distinctly British first.

Since the 1993 break up of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Macedonia has been in a continuous identity struggle. Neighbor Greece officially refuses to acknowledge the name of the state which emerged from southern Yugoslavia citing that "Macedonia" is a traditionally Hellenic name. Despite it all, Macedonia is evolving into an effective parliamentary democracy with ever solidifying ties to the west including a bid of admission into the EU and NATO. The U.S. State Department gives Macedonia generally high marks though it cites concerns with police violence, prison conditions and conflicts with minority populations as areas needing significant progress. The United Nations Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur drew additional attention to the state of religious tolerance in a report from a recent visit. Amnesty International focused on concerns of the right of political opposition to peacefully assemble in protest, while Human Rights Watch called on the Macedonian legislature to expand language in a current anti-discrimination bill to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Freedom House cited a downward trend in its recent annual report due to governmental harassment and violence leveled against political opponents. In a recent address to the United Nations General Assembly President Ivanov cited the progress Macedonia has made in promoting democracy and improving the lives of all its citizens, conditions necessary in its quest to seek admission into EU and NATO though he cites the continuous resistance by Greece as out of step with agreements made 15 years ago to seek normalization and formal recognition. Likewise, the Ombudsman of Macedonia echoes the government's viewpoint of progress in reaching accords with the minority population while the Macedonian Human rights Movement strikes out at Albania for not allowing the privately funded teaching of the Macedonian language in Albanian schools along Macedonia's border. In an effort to carve out a distinct identity, Macedonia is in a long-term cultural and linguistic conflict with the its neighbors. Having recently agreed to borders with Kosovo, a fellow former member of the Yugoslavian Federation, Macedonia has a long way to go to achieve the type of long standing peace that will make it an attractive candidate and vital member of the EU and NATO communities. Continued progress internally, particularly setting an example of accommodation to its minority members, will go far in helping them make their case for admission into their desired continental and inter-continental communes.

Like Hong Kong, Macau is a Special Administrative Region of China which operates under the policy of "two systems, one nation." Formerly controlled by and still culturally linked to Portugal, Macau was ceded to China in 1979 but guaranteed 50 years of autonomy by China. Though its internal and economic polices are administered by local governance, its international relations are under the auspices of China. As such, the U.S. State Department issues its annual rights assessment as a subsection of the Chinese report. While considered a generally free society, Macau is criticized for the limitation to democratically change its government, trafficking in persons and corruption, side effects of an economy centered on gambling and tourism for such a vast percentage of its annual GDP. The UN Human Rights Council cited concern with respect to the usage of the term "public official" in defining levels of impunity in allegations of torture. Amnesty International most recently took issue with "national security" legislation which compromises the rights of Macau residents while Human Rights Watch criticized Chinese legislation that threatening s the blacklisting of journalists from Hong Kong and Macau. This issue was likewise echoed by rights organization "Status of Chinese People" which condemned the return to pre-Olympic levels of censorship of journalists. A Freedom House survey of Internet Freedom was published in the Macau Times which highlights the fact that China, with nearly 300 million users, also has the most sophisticated, multi-layer censorship and monitoring apparatus. Though the only candidate standing for office, the election of Fernando Chui to succeed Edmund Ho as Chief Executive was generally considered to be free and fair. In his inaugural address, Chui seemed to suggest that maintaining a sense of status quo was his overriding agenda. Because of the unique aspect of their economy, the Commission Against Corruption is the primary Ombudsman body which, naturally, views corruption as the principle concern to civil society and endorsed the steps cited by Chui during a recent conference. Generally speaking, the residents of Macau enjoy more freedom than their fellow Chinese citizens on the mainland. Over the next few decades it will be interesting to note which of the two systems inevitably asserts the greater influence over the other. Will China evolve into a more democratic society or will Macau inevitably succumb to the overwhelmingly oppressive government control of Beijing?. And, in the end, will we ever really notice?

Despite a peaceful return to democracy, the new president of ">Honduras finds himself in a quest to seek regional legitimacy for his post coup government. While the United States was generally supportive of the election of Pepe Lobo, the U.S. State Department annual report cites numerous criticisms of the actions of the police and leadership of the coup that deposed President Zelaya. Zelaya threatened to lead a popular uprising to have the constitution revised to allow him to run for a third term despite the ruling of the national Supreme Court against him doing so. His attempts to incite a populist referendum inspired a coup that deposed him in the middle of the night, dumping him on a Costa Rican runway in his pajamas. The most recent report of the United Nations Human Rights Council preceded the coup and was 10 years late in delivery and critical of the Honduran Criminal Codes limited definition and potential broad allowance for the application of torture. Amnesty International details a human rights plan following President Lobo's inauguration and Human Rights Watch specifically calls on the new government to investigate the murders of three journalists killed in post-inaugural violence. Freedom House's most recent report was issued prior to the coup and, ironically, speaks favorably of steps made by both the government and civil society to work together to eliminate corruption and impunity. President Lobo presented a "National Vision Plan" for the country which was 12 years in the making and shepherded through three prior presidential administration and only now possible with the shift of power from the president to the people. This presentation arrives on the heels of a report presented by the Honduran Ombudsman which calls on a "Continental" strategy to defend democracy and condemn the "brutal face" of dictatorship. By comparison, Comite de Familiares de Detenidos
Desaparecidos en Honduras, a human rights organization which came into being during the days of the "Dirty Wars" condemned the violent assault by the government on International Women's Day protesters who had been in opposition throughout the coup and questions the legitimacy of the Lobo Administration. Honduras has a long and unfortunate history of oppression but has made positive strides throughout the years. These, however, have been in fits and starts. The brutal dictatorships of the past has created a political culture which tends to respond negatively to institutional opposition. If President Lobo hopes to achieve broader regional support for his administration, he needs to start by addressing the violent tendencies of his military and police force who tend to violently respond to criticism. It is these institutional impulses that make Honduras its own worst enemy.

On the topic of coups, Kyrgyzstan's capital of Bishkek was the scene of a violent overthrow this week which force President Bakiyev to flee the capital for the remote south, the base of his support. Ironically, Bakiyev came to power through a similar coup five years earlier which has been dubbed the Tulip Revolution. Bakiyev has yet to acknowledge the legitimacy of the coup however Roza Otunbayeva, a former foreign minister and a leader in the Tulip Revolution has been named the Interim President. Events are still unfolding and a more detailed report will follow in the ensuing days and weeks.

Though an absolute monarchy, Morocco is one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. This and the fact that it is a Constitutionally mandated Islamic state, leads the lists of criticisms in the current annual human rights report of the U.S. State Department. Forced disappearances, some 742 documented cases, was the current focus of the United Nations Human Rights Council's most recent report while Amnesty International focuses criticism on the recent conviction of 12 students whose trial was marred with allegations of torture. Human Rights Watch documents the case of a 72- year old retired colonel serving a 12 year conviction for sharing a "national secret" which, as it so turns out, was no secret at all after being shot down and held prisoner by a Western Sahara rebel group. while commending steps taken by the government to institute human rights, Freedom House criticizes the Kingdom's inability to tolerate criticisms for current abuses including violent crackdowns of public protests. Morocco's OSCE Ambassador recently highlighted the steps being made by the government to increase human rights and development highlighting advances in democratic development instituted by King Mohamed, points echoed by the nation's Ombudsman. The Moroccan Human Rights Association calls on a detained human rights activist to call off a life-threatening hunger strike while, at the same time, calling on the Moroccan government to release him the activist from prison. It is commendable that Morocco is taking steps in the right direction to institute human rights within the kingdom. At the same time, as an absolute, theocracy centered monarchy, it limits the ability of its people to decide for themselves the government they prefer.

Finally, Poland suffered an indescribable blow with the tragic loss of its president, Lech Kazcynski, his wife and 95 others in a plane crash. The flight contained a number of high ranking government officials en route to commemorate the World War II execution of 20,000 polish officers. While tragic, Poland's Constitution provided for immediate succession with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Bronislaw Komorowski, immediately sworn in as Interim President. Under the Polish Constitution, the speaker of the Assembly assumed the presidency upon the incapacitation of the president and must announce early elections within 14 days. The vote must be held within another 60 days. While a national tragedy the wise construction of the Polish constitution belayed this from becoming an issue of utter devastation and assuring democratic continuity. A more detailed report of Poland will be issued on Wednesday.

Also next week--- Australia, Ecuador, Singapore and Aruba.

Labels: Argentina, coup, EU, Falkland Islands, Honduras, human rights, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Macau, Macedonia, Morocco, NATO, Poland, Russia

posted by Dave Carroll @ 4/11/2010 12:37:00 PM